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GLDA’s 16th International Seminar - Biodiversity & Sustain-Ability : Isn't that the Question?
- 23 January 2012
There has never been a more interesting or exciting time to be involved in the design of outdoor spaces. Trends and fashions come and go in landscape design mostly with an emphasis on the aesthetic and style of the space but more recently there has been a sea change in how we approach our green spaces.
There is now a need, borne of more sustainable ideals, for green spaces to fulfil a more multifunctional role – including rainwater management, providing wildlife habitats, enhancing biodiversity, climate amelioration and improvement in air quality, incorporating green roofs, rainwater harvesting, wet gardens, recycling in the form of composting and also more local food production. Sustainable design which supports biodiversity necessitates rethinking our approach to many aspects of design.
Why has sustainable design and maintaining biological diversity become of such critical importance? Currently, do we have the ability to be sustainable in a meaningful way and do we really understand the issues involved?
How we design our future environments could be critical to our own survival. Every choice we make, from the materials we use to our choice of planting, has an impact on biodiversity, and therefore an impact on ourselves.
Biodiversity loss is the result of habitat loss, destruction and degradation of ecosystems, pollution, and climate change. Always fascinating to listen to, Dr Matthew Jebb, www.botanicgardens.ie botanist and Director of the National Botanic Gardens will show us how the future of mankind is inextricably linked with the future welfare of the many species and ecosystems with which we co-exist in his intriguing talk on “The Science of Botany being not only generally ufeful, but even abfolutely neceffary to us Mortals”
Nature is dynamic and ever changing so that protecting and enhancing biodiversity can be complex and challenging. How do we balance the protection of existing habitats with the possible creation of new ones? An industrial wasteland or an overgrown garden can be home to many species. Is it right to return it to a previous more natural landscape or impose a new order upon it?
Through his years of experience in working in an ethical way with landscapes Rick Darke, www.rickdarke.com based in Pennsylvania USA presents ‘The Layered Landscape’ in which, facilitated by his wonderful photography, he will take us through landscape projects where these challenges have been reconciled to produce sustainable and biologically diverse landscapes.
Finally Phil Askew Landscape Architect for the Olympic Development Association will take us on a journey through one of the most exciting, cutting edge and largest new urban parks in the UK in over a century – 'The 2012 Olympic Park - a sustainable legacy for London'.
This is an example of a sustainable and biodiverse landscape created from former industrial land. Habitat creation reflects the diversity of the existing site before construction but also the restoration of native vegetation which has long ago disappeared from the area. Restoration will also be carried out on the River Lea its floodplains and other new habitats created – wetlands, reed beds, ponds, woodland and species rich grassland.
The Garden and Landscape Designer’s Association are looking forward to a day of insight and lively debate.
DON’T MISS THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THREE FASCINATING SPEAKERS, PASSIONATE ABOUT THEIR SUBJECT.
Who should come: Landscape Architects, Garden Designers, Landscape Contractors, Architects, Engineers, Gardeners, Ecologists and all those curious to learn more from a panel of experts in their fields.
This event is proudly supported by Bord Bia, Ireland’s Food Board.
